Leclanché to build 35.6 MW solar PV and storage facility in Caribbean

The largest solar generation plus energy storage project ever to be built in the Caribbean has been announced by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, the state-owned St. Kitts Electric Company (SKELEC) and Leclanché SA, one of the world's leading energy storage companies.

The 35.6 MW solar energy plant and 44.2 MWh battery storage facility will be built on government-provided land in the Basseterre Valley, adjacent to the City of Basseterre and the current SKELEC PowerStation on the island of St. Kitts. The system will provide 25-30% of the nation's current power generation needs while displacing the same amount of diesel-generated capacity.

Leclanché will serve as the prime engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the installation of both the solar photovoltaic (PV) system and battery energy storage system (BESS).

The government recently approved an allocation of land for the project site which will be provided under a lease between the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the project company. SKELEC and Leclanché have already entered into a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) which ensures the system will supply essential power capacity for St. Kitts for many years to come.

Leclanché has established a St. Kitts special purpose vehicle (SPV) along with local partner Solrid, to fund, own and operate the facility. Once the energy generation and storage project is completed and delivered, Leclanché will be responsible for the management of all project operations, maintenance and equipment warranties.

Ground-breaking for the solar and energy storage project is scheduled for mid-October 2019 with an anticipated completion date of September 2020.